Weekend reads: Reactions to Happy Meal changes

The Atlantic lumps together McDonald’s Happy Meal changes with Walmart’s commitment to opening 300 stores in underserved areas and concludes both companies have “raised the bar for what food companies can do to address public concerns about nutrition and obesity .” Marion Nestle on her Food Politics blog (I’m always interested in her opinion on matters like this) says of these baby steps McDonald’s has made, “I’m not impressed .” Here’s a viewpoint I hadn’t considered: Apple growers are thrilled with the change. Minyanville says that this new market for apple growers will be a boon. Fooducate sees this is a only small step in the right direction, but looks at the positive side of it. The change was brought about in part because of consumer pressure, and they believe “the more we push, the more the food industry will listen .” Good point.